Universal Depth Boat

ABSTRACT

The various embodiments disclosed and pictured herein illustrate a universal depth boat that is easy to operate and may be controlled by a single operator. A universal depth boat and hull design that comprises a hull having a bow, stern, sides, a V-hull portion and a flat bottom is disclosed. In the exemplary embodiment, a V-hull portion for spreading water is centrally located at a forward portion of the watercraft. The V-hull portion may include a keel as a forward apex, which forms a substantially perpendicular or vertical leading wedge with respect to the plane of water. The V-hull portion transitions to a flat bottom toward the stern. Accordingly, the watercraft will more easily traverse waves instead of riding over them, while the watercraft is simultaneously capable of accessing areas with extremely shallow water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 61/000,545 filed on Oct. 27, 2007, which isincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to watercraft. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to watercraft hulls designedto displace water in a manner to provide enhanced stability and movementthrough the water while simultaneously allowing the watercraft tooperate in extremely shallow water.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

No federal funds were used to develop or create the invention disclosedand described in the patent application.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional recreational and commercial watercrafts, for the most part,incorporate hulls that have V-shaped bottoms, with the V-shape forming akeel at its lowest point. The V-shape is thought to enable the boat, asspeed is increased, to be pushed upwardly out of the water, as the watertraversing against the boat's bow is forced sideways and downwardly at avector to the outer shape of the hull. Such designs have been used foryears, but have various deficiencies.

One detriment to such hull designs is that the draft of the boat tendsto sit relatively deep in the water in relation to the length and beamof the boat, thus requiring sufficient depth of water to accommodatethat draft. Another detriment to such hull designs is that they requirea relatively large amount of force (and horsepower) to propel such aboat forward at a sufficient speed to stabilize the boat, i.e., to forcethe water sideways and downwardly as the boat travels generallyhorizontally through the water.

With V-shaped hull designs, initially, as velocity begins to increasefrom zero the bow of the boat acts much like a plow, digging into andthrough the surface of the water. This creates what is known as a “bowwave”. As velocity increases, the bow tends to be forced upwardly by thesideways and downward force being applied to the water by the curvatureof the V-shape of the hull, which is being forced horizontally forwardand up over the bow wave.

Finally, when sufficient velocity is reached, the apex of the force onthe V-shaped hull travels aftwardly along the hull, forcing the boatmore upwardly to an increasing degree until a point is reached at whichthe bow, now out of the water, tends (by force of gravity) to descendtoward the water, pivoting on the apex of the force against the sidesand bottom of the V-shaped hull. This pivoting serves to raise the sternof the boat as the bow descends until the whole boat is lifted upwardlyinto what is known as a planing position. At this point, because thereis relatively less water contacting the hull, drag from that water isreduced and the boat is correspondingly able travel at a significantlygreater speed given the same amount of force propelling the boatforward.

Of course, as might be anticipated, the hydraulic force of the wateragainst the V-shaped hull is substantial, and thus at least an equallysubstantial counteracting force must be provided by the engine of theboat. Significant power is required to get the boat up to the planingposition and to maintain it there. The ultimate speed of the boat whenplaning depends on the specific design of the V-shaped hull, the weight(and weight distribution) of the boat, and the available power (i.e.,the size of the engine and the size and pitch of the propeller that isdriven by the engine). However, in all cases, the forward movement ofthe boat at any speed, whether planing or not, is counteracted by bothcrossways and downward vectors of force produced by the relativehydraulic movement of the water against the hull.

The amount of fuel needed to power a boat at a given velocity is indirect proportion to the overall degree of each of the forces that mustbe overcome to move that boat forward over a given distance. The greaterthose forces, the greater the amount of fuel required. Thus, as ageneral proposition, if fuel economy is a concern, hull designs thattend to reduce the overall amount of opposing forces directed againstthe hull during forward movement of the boat are desirable. One approachto mitigate fuel usage is the use of relatively flat bottom hullswherein there is less counteracting hydraulic force imposed against thehull as the boat moves forward. A flat hull is more readily pusheddirectly up over the bow wave to a position substantially on top of thewater, creating less displacement of water by the hull in the dynamicmode as distinguished from the static mode. In other words, dynamicdisplacement of water is significantly less with a flat bottom boat thanwith a V-shaped bottom. On the other hand, static displacement, when theboat is at rest, is substantially the same for a flat bottom or aV-bottom boat, given equivalent boat weights and hull-surface contactarea with the water.

Watercraft or boats with flat bottom hulls have been known for years.Small fishing boats have been manufactured using this design. Such boatshave a relatively shallow draft to enable sports fishermen or hunters toreach shallow waters along shorelines, shallow and swampy areas, andlakes, ponds, and/or streams that are not sufficiently deep toaccommodate the draft of conventional V-bottom boats.

Such designs have evolved into what are popularly called “bass boats”.Bass boat hulls are relatively narrow, in relation to length, withgenerally flat bottoms and relatively shallow V-shapes, if any. Thedraft of these boats is relatively shallow in comparison to V-shapedhulls. Once up on a plane, the vector force of the water is mostlydownward, forcing these boats to rise up out of the water to a greaterdegree at relatively slower speeds. Accordingly, ultimate velocity maybe greater, and relatively less engine power may be required to reach agiven velocity.

One disadvantage to bass boat hulls is that because bass boats arerelatively narrow beamed and there is relatively little crossways orlateral force exerted against the hull of a bass boat, there iscorrespondingly less lateral stability; and, due to a relatively narrowbeam, such boats tend to be susceptible to laterally moving waves. Also,these flat bottom hulls are also generally more susceptible to waves asthe hull rides more on top of the waves rather than slicing throughwaves as V-shaped hulls do to a greater degree. Furthermore,flat-bottomed boats do not steer as easily or as precisely as those withdistinct, V-shaped hulls, again due to the fact that such boats incurrelatively less opposing crossways forces (which are the forces thattend to hold a boat to a straight forward movement). Opposing crosswaysforces, if present, may be precisely altered by a rudder device at thestern. Therefore, most bass boats tend to skid laterally sideways morereadily during turning, thus making turning a much less precise andcontrollable skidding action rather than the positive, more preciselycontrollable action of V-shaped hulls. Bass boat designs rarelyincorporate sponsons, thus, for the sake of safety it is almostnecessary to slow some high-powered bass boats down before turning, toboth achieve a more precise turn and to prevent the boat from flippingover.

Both types of hulls are susceptible to wave action and may produceinstability depending on the height and direction of waves. Both typesof hulls have large surfaces which absorb the force of waves and causesignificant vibration, vertical or lateral movement, or a combinationthereof. Other boats include hull designs which incorporate pontoons orsponsons for lateral stability and floatation, but such systems areundesirable for a number of reasons. Published U.S. Pat. Application No.20070157865 filed by Baker and entitled “Watercraft with Wave DeflectingHull” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,341 issued to Devin entitled “Boat Hull”provide more pertinent background on the prior art and are incorporatedby reference herein.

Other hull designs attempt to incorporate some of the advantages of aV-hull with the advantages of a flat bottom hull. Examples include U.S.Pat. No. 7,424,859 issued to Clancey and U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,781 issuedto White, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. Althoughthe prior art discloses that others have attempted to combine theadvantages of a V-hull with those of a flat bottom hull, none have beensuccessful in merging those two hull configurations into onecommercially viable boat having more advantages from one hull type thandisadvantages from the other. Common deficiencies in the prior artinclude lack of strength of the hull, few advantages associated with acertain hull style, and/or high cost of manufacturing, among others.

There is thus a need for a watercraft that overcomes the deficiencies ofthe prior art and is efficiently maneuverable in the water whileproviding increased fuel efficiency and a smooth, stable ride, even inrough and/or shallow water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a universal depth boat and universal depthboat hull design that overcome the deficiencies of prior designs. Theuniversal depth boat comprises a hull having a bow, stern, V-hullportion, flat bottom, keel, and first and second sides. The V-hullportion performs the wave-spreading function of the hull and is locatedat a forward portion adjacent the bow of the craft. The V-hull portionlends the universal depth boat greater stability and maneuverabilityover a bass boat. The flat bottom performs the wave riding function ofthe hull and is located at a rear portion adjacent the stern. The flatbottom allows the universal depth boat to be operated in extremelyshallow waters compared to conventional V-hull boats.

The combination of a V-hull portion adjacent the bow and a flat bottomadjacent the stern allows the universal depth boat to perform in bothdeep and shallow waters while being extremely durable, stable, andmaneuverable. The stern of the universal depth boat allows for single ordual motor mountings so that one motor may be used for operation in deepwater and the other for operation in shallow water. The universal depthboat hull design allows the universal depth boat to traverse wing damsand even short spans of dry land in certain scenarios. The structure ofthe hull is designed to allow for stability and rapid turning in shallowor deep waters. The supporting structure components are on the interiorof the hull, inside the boat—nothing is external to the hull providing acontinuously smooth outer surface, which may be constructed of a single,unitary piece of material. A plurality of planes may be placed in thehull structure along the transition from the V-hull portion to the sidesand/or the transition from the flat bottom to the sides through bendingto increase the structural rigidity of the hull from the bow to thestern and affect the drag and stability of the universal depth boat asdesired.

Applications for the universal depth boat include hunting, fishing, andrecreation. The universal depth boat as disclosed allows waterfowlhunters to access areas that are inaccessible to other watercraft. Whenused for fishing, the universal depth boat provides fishermen with theability to cross timbers and transverse marshy areas that wouldotherwise be inaccessible. The universal depth boat may also be used byemergency response crews because it gives such crews the ability toreach victims in traditionally inaccessible areas. Furthermore, theuniversal depth boat allows navigation of floodwaters having debris andunknown obstacles beneath the surface without fear of damage to thehull.

These and other advantages of the universal depth boat will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood, a more particular description of the invention brieflydescribed above will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsillustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawingsdepict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not thereforeto be considered limited of its scope, the invention will be describedand explained with additional specificity and detail through the use ofthe accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 provides a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe universal depth boat.

FIG. 2 provides a rear perspective view of the exemplary embodiment ofthe universal depth boat.

FIG. 3 provides a detailed rear view of the exemplary embodiment of theuniversal depth boat.

FIG. 4 provides a detailed front view of the exemplary embodiment of theuniversal depth boat.

FIG. 5 provides a detailed top view of the exemplary embodiment of theuniversal depth boat.

FIG. 6 provides a top view of the hull from the exemplary embodiment ofthe universal depth boat before the various fingers are joined.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—LISTING OF ELEMENTS

ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ELEMENT # Universal Depth Boat 10 V-Hull Portion 11Flat Bottom 12 Keel 13 First Plane  14a Second Plane  14b Third Plane 14c Fourth Plane  14d Trim Tab 15 Stern 16 Bow 17 First Side  18aSecond Side  18b Hull 19 First Top Rail  21a Second Top Rail  21b CrossSupport 22 Longitudinal Support 23 Bow Cap 24 Stern Cap 25 Shelf 26 Deck28 Finger 29 Floor Panel 40 Pod 42

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the various embodiments of the present invention are explained indetail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangements ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to beunderstood that phraseology and terminology used herein with referenceto device or element orientation (such as, for example, terms like“front”, “back”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, and the like) are onlyused to simplify description of the present invention, and do not aloneindicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have aparticular orientation. In addition, terms such as “first”, “second”,and “third” are used herein and in the appended claims for purposes ofdescription and are not intended to indicate or imply relativeimportance or significance.

FIG. 1 provides a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe universal depth boat 10. FIG. 2 provides a rear perspective view ofthe exemplary embodiment of the universal depth boat 10. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the universal depth boat 10 includes a hull 19 with twomain portions: a V-hull portion 11 adjacent the front of the universaldepth boat 10 (i.e., the bow 17) and a flat bottom 12 adjacent the rearof the universal depth boat 10 (i.e., the stern 16, which may also bereferred to as the transon). The stern 16 may be sized and configured sothat an outboard marine motor (not shown) may be mounted thereto.

The hull 19 may be made of a single piece of material. As shown, theuniversal depth boat 10 has a full floatation hull 19 with the opennessof a commercial-style hull 19. In the exemplary embodiment, the hull 19has a lower rake angle to improve shallow water performance and provideimproved planing characteristics. Accordingly, the universal depth boat10 may be operated in extremely shallow water and plane out on thesurface of the water at lower speeds as compared to conventional V-hullboats. The V-hull portion 11 of the hull 19 provides the user withgreater ability to traverse waves and increases the stability of theuniversal depth boat 10 in open water and while turning.

FIG. 6 shows the hull 19 outline for the exemplary embodiment of theuniversal depth boat wherein the hull 19 is constructed of a singlepiece of aluminum. Fingers 29 are cut into the aluminum sheet as shownin FIG. 6, and then the sheet is bent according to design specificationsfor form the hull 19. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, thehull 19 may include four planes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, and 14 d in thetransition from the flat bottom 12 to the first side 18 a and secondside 18 b, respectively. From the flat bottom 12, the first plane 14 amay be angled approximately nineteen degrees on both the first andsecond sides 18 a, 18 b. From the first plane 14 a, the second plane 14b may be angled approximately twenty degrees on both the first andsecond sides 18 a, 18 b. From the second plane 14 b, the third plane 14c may be angled approximately twenty degrees, and the fourth plane 14 dmay be angled approximately twenty degrees from the third plane 14 c.The fourth plane 14 d on each of the first and second sides 18 a, 18 bforms the upper-most portion of the sides of the hull 19. In certainembodiments, the fourth plane 14 d at the area adjacent the stern 16 maybe twenty to twenty four inches high depending on the length, width, anddesign specifications of the universal depth boat 10. The first andsecond sides 18 a, 18 b may be higher or lower in other embodimentsdepending on the requirements of the user.

The first and second planes 14 a, 14 b may intersect one another at thetransition of the hull 19 from the flat bottom 12 to the V-hull portion11. From this point of intersection, the first and second planes 14 a,14 b may increase in width towards the stern 16 to aid the universaldepth boat 10 in planing out on the water surface. At the stern, thewidth of the first and second planes 14 a, 14 b may be from one totwenty centimeters, depending on the application of the universal depthboat 10. The third and fourth planes 14 c, 14 d may terminate at theirrespective interfaces with the V-hull portion 11, as shown in FIG. 1. Atthe stern 16, the width of the third and fourth planes 14 c, 14 d may befrom five to fifty five centimeters. In other embodiments not picturedherein, the universal depth boat 10 does not have first, second, and/orthird planes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c. Instead, the fourth plane 14 d isadjacent the flat bottom 12, and the first and second sides 18 a, 18 bare formed exclusively from the fourth plane 14 d. In such anembodiment, the hull 19 as viewed from the stern 16 would resemble ablock-shaped “U”.

In another embodiment not pictured herein, the universal depth boat 10has first a plane 14 a and a fourth plane 14 d, but does not have secondor third planes 14 b, 14 c. The various angles, dimensions, and/orabsence of various planes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, 14 d in no way limits thescope of the universal depth boat 10. The universal depth boat 10 mayinclude any combination of planes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, and/or 14 d at anyorientation with respect to one another, the flat bottom 12, and theV-hull portion 11. Furthermore, the vertical distance from the interfaceof the flat bottom 12 to the V-hull portion 11 to the top rails 21 a, 21b will vary depending on the specific application of the universal depthboat 10 and in no way limits the scope of the present invention. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that this vertical distance affectsthe stability of the universal depth boat 10 and the minimum depth ofwater in which it will operate.

The overall length of the universal depth boat 10, the length and widthof the V-hull portion 11, the length and width of the flat bottom 12,and the weight of the universal depth boat 10 may vary depending on thespecific application. The preceding design factor coupled with thepresence or absence, dimensions, and orientation of planes 14 a, 14 b,14 c, 14 d in the hull 19 affect the stability, maneuverability, andminimum depth of water required for operation of the universal depthboat 10. For example, the distance from bow 17 to stern 16 may be aslittle as six feet or as much as twenty four feet, or it may be somevalue outside of that range. The width of the stern 16 may be as littleas two feet or as much as eight feet, or it may be some value outsidethat range. Accordingly, an infinite number of orientations andconfigurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art within thespirit and scope of the present invention.

After the desired planes 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, and/or 14 d are fashionedinto the hull 19, the V-hull portion 11 may be formed. The variousfingers 29 shown in FIG. 6 are brought together and joined to form theV-hull portion 11. The fingers 29 may be joined by any method known tothose skilled in the art that is appropriate for the material used inthe hull 19. For example, if the hull 19 is made of aluminum, thefingers 29 may be welded; if the hull 19 is made of a polymer material,the fingers 29 may be chemically or thermally fused. A keel 13 may beaffixed to the center line of the V-hull portion 11 to increase strengthand rigidity of the universal depth boat 10. As with joining the fingers29, the keel 13 may be affixed to the hull 19 in any manner known tothose skilled in the art that is appropriate for the materials ofconstruction. As shown herein, a shelf 26 may be fashioned in the V-hullportion 11 along the interface of two fingers 29 on each side of theuniversal depth boat 10. The shelf 26 serves to deflect water or othermaterial from entering the interior of the universal depth boat 10.

A first top rail 21 a is placed on the top surface of the fourth plane14 d on the first side 18 a, and a corresponding second top rail 21 b isplaced on the top surface of the fourth plane 14 d on the second side 14b in the exemplary embodiment. To increase the strength and structuralrigidity of the universal depth boat 10, a plurality of cross supports22 and longitudinal supports 23 may be affixed to the interior surfaceof the hull 19, as shown in FIG. 5. For additional strength, a bow cap24 may be affixed to the bow 17 and first and second top rails 21 a, 21b. Additionally, two stern caps 25 may be affixed to the first andsecond sides 18 a, 18 b and the stern 16, respectively. The materials ofconstruction, number, and orientation of the cross supports 22,longitudinal supports 23, bow cap 24, and stern caps 25 will varydepending on the specific application of the universal depth boat 10.The universal depth boat 10 is designed so that stresses and forces aretransferred across the entire hull 19 to prevent hooking and flexing.

Floor panels 40 may be placed over or around the cross supports 22 andlongitudinal supports 23 so that the universal depth boat 10 has a flatfloor for occupants. Additionally, seating structures, such as pods 42,may be placed over the cross supports 22 and/or longitudinal supports23, or pods 42 may be placed directly onto floor panels 40 at convenientlocations. Additionally, a deck 28 may be positioned between the firstand second top rails 21 a, 21 b near the bow 17 for added strength orsimply to create additional storage space protected from the elements inthe area underneath the deck 28. The materials of construction, number,and orientation of the floor panels 40, pods 42, and or decks 28 willvary depending on the specific application of the universal depth boat10 and therefore are not limiting.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment pictured herein (best shown inFIGS. 2-3, a trim tab 15 may be placed at the interface of the flatbottom 12 and the stern 16. The trim tab 15 may be integrally formedwith either the flat bottom 12 or the stern 16, or it may be separatelyaffixed thereto. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the trimtab 15 may be used to adjust the angle of the universal depth boat 10with respect to the water surface at a given speed by adjusting theangle of the trim tab 15 relative to the flat bottom 12.

In another embodiment not pictured herein, the universal depth boat 10may include runners (not shown) affixed to the exterior portion of thehull 19. The runners (not shown) may be shaped as a fin and extend apredetermined distance from the surface of the hull 19. The runners (notshown) aide in cornering and maneuverability, and may be constructed ofany suitable material, such as aluminum, wood, polymers, etc. Therunners (not shown) may be affixed to the hull 19 by any means suitablefor the materials of construction that is known to those skilled in theart. It is contemplated that two runners each placed approximately onefoot from their respective sides 18 a, 18 b extending approximately tenfeet from the stern along the flat bottom 12, and approximatelyextending one inch from the surface of the hull 19 would provideincreased maneuverability in many situations. However, otherconfigurations and/or dimensions of runners (not shown) may be usedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The universal depth boat 10 and the various elements thereof may beconstructed from aluminum with a single-piece formed hull 19 asdescribed above, or from multiple sheets of material with welded seamstherebetween. In one embodiment, the hull 19 is constructed from 0.125inch thick marine-grade aluminum and is one piece. All supports andstructures may be welded to one another. Alternatively, riveting may beused to attach certain elements to one another, such as floor panels 40,bow cap 24, and the like. The stern 16 is typically constructed from astrong material capable of supporting the weight of an outboard marineengine from two to one hundred and fifty horsepower. This may be a thickaluminum or other material known to those skilled in the art, such assteel, metallic alloy, wood, polymeric material, etc. The hull 19 andother portions of the universal depth boat 10 may be fabricated frommaterials other than aluminum, such as, for example, fiberglassreinforced plastic, high-density polyethylene, high-strength polymers,or other suitable materials.

As will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the universaldepth 10 boat may be equipped with a wide range of accessories andoptions including multiple seats, accessory lights and racks, accessoryelectrical plugs, winch mounts, extended deck storage, onboard fueltanks, lockable storage spaces, stern 16 cutouts for specific motors, orany other accessory known to those skilled in the art for use withboats. The inclusion or exclusion of any accessory items in no waylimits the scope of the universal depth boat 10.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to thespecific embodiments pictured and described herein, but is intended toapply to all similar boats with a hull 19 having a V-hull portion 11 anda flat bottom 12. Modifications and alterations from the describedembodiments will occur to those skilled in the art without departurefrom the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A universal depth boat hull comprising: a. a bow; b. a stern; c. afirst and second side, wherein said first and second sides are eachaffixed to said bow and said stern at opposite sides; d. a flat bottomadjacent said stern, wherein said flat bottom is affixed to said stern,and wherein said flat bottom is integrally formed with said first andsecond sides; and e. a V-hull portion adjacent said bow, wherein saidV-hull portion is integrally formed with said first and second sides andsaid flat bottom, and wherein said V-hull portion includes a keel in thecenter of said V-hull portion.
 2. The universal depth boat hullaccording to claim 1 further comprising a trim tab integrated into saiduniversal depth boat hull adjacent the interface of said stern and saidflat bottom.
 3. The universal depth boat hull according to claim 1further comprising a first and second shelf, wherein said first shelfextends outward from said first side, and wherein said second shelfextends outward from said second side.
 4. The universal depth boat hullaccording to claim 1 wherein said first and second sides of said hullare further defined as including a first plane oriented at an anglebetween five and forty five degrees with respect to said flat bottom. 5.The universal depth boat hull according to claim 4 wherein said firstand second sides of said hull are further defined as including a secondplane oriented at an angle between five and forty five degrees withrespect to said first plane.
 6. The universal depth boat hull accordingto claim 5 wherein said first and second sides of said hull are furtherdefined as including a third plane oriented at an angle between five andforty five degrees with respect to said second plane.
 7. The universaldepth boat hull according to claim 6 wherein said first and second sidesof said hull are further defined as including a fourth plane oriented atan angle between five and forty five degrees with respect to said thirdplane.
 8. The universal depth boat hull according to claim 7 whereinsaid first and second planes increase in width from said bow to saidstern.
 9. A universal depth boat comprising: a. a hull, wherein saidhull comprises; i. a bow; ii. a stern, wherein said stern is capable ofsupporting an outboard marine motor; iii. a first and second side,wherein said first and second sides are each affixed to said bow andsaid stern at opposite sides of said bow and said stern; iv. a flatbottom adjacent said stern, wherein said flat bottom is affixed to saidstern, and wherein said flat bottom is integrally formed with said firstand second sides; and v. a V-hull portion adjacent said bow, whereinsaid V-hull portion is integrally formed with said first and secondsides and said flat bottom, and wherein said V-hull portion includes akeel in the center of said V-hull portion; b. a first and second toprail, wherein said first top rail is affixed to the upper edge of saidfirst side, wherein said second top rail is affixed to the upper edge ofsaid second side, and wherein said first and second top rails terminateadjacent said bow at a point with said V-hull portion; and c. a bow cap,wherein said bow cap connects said first and second top rails adjacentsaid bow.
 10. The universal depth boat according to claim 9 furthercomprising a first and second shelf, wherein said first shelf extendsoutward from said first side, and wherein said second shelf extendsoutward from said second side.
 11. The universal depth boat according toclaim 9 wherein said first and second sides of said hull are furtherdefined as including a first plane oriented at an angle between five andforty five degrees with respect to said flat bottom.
 12. The universaldepth boat according to claim 11 wherein said first and second sides ofsaid hull are further defined as including a second plane oriented at anangle between five and forty five degrees with respect to said firstplane.
 13. The universal depth boat according to claim 12 wherein saidfirst and second sides of said hull are further defined as including athird plane oriented at an angle between five and forty five degreeswith respect to said second plane.
 14. The universal depth boataccording to claim 13 wherein said first and second sides of said hullare further defined as including a fourth plane oriented at an anglebetween five and forty five degrees with respect to said third plane.15. The universal depth boat according to claim 11 wherein said firstplane increases in width from said bow to said stern.
 16. The universaldepth boat according to claim 12 wherein said second plane increases inwidth from said bow to said stern.
 17. The universal depth boataccording to claim 9 further comprising: a. a plurality of crosssupports affixed to the interior of said hull; and b. a plurality oflongitudinal supports affixed to the interior of said hull, wherein eachlongitudinal support is oriented substantially perpendicular to eachcross support.
 18. The universal depth boat according to claim 17further comprising a plurality of floor panels affixed to said pluralityof cross supports and said plurality of longitudinal supports.
 19. Auniversal depth boat comprising: a. a hull, wherein said hull comprises;i. a bow; ii. a stern, wherein said stern is capable of supporting anoutboard marine motor; iii. a first and second side, wherein said firstand second sides are each affixed to said bow and said stern at oppositesides of said bow and said stern; iv. a flat bottom adjacent said stern,wherein said flat bottom is affixed to said stern, and wherein said flatbottom is integrally formed with said first and second sides; and v. aV-hull portion adjacent said bow, wherein said V-hull portion isintegrally formed with said first and second sides and said flat bottom,wherein said V-hull portion includes a keel in the center of said V-hullportion, and wherein said V-hull portion and said first and second sidesterminate at a point at said bow; b. a first and second top rail,wherein said first top rail is affixed to the upper edge of said firstside, wherein said second top rail is affixed to the upper edge of saidsecond side, and wherein said first and second top rails terminateadjacent said bow at a point with said V-hull portion; c. a bow cap,wherein said bow cap connects said first and second top rails adjacentsaid bow; d. a first and second stern cap, wherein said first stern capconnects said first side with said stern, and wherein said second sterncap connects said second side with said stern; e. a plurality of crosssupports, wherein said cross supports are affixed to the interiorsurface of said hull perpendicular to the forward direction of travel;f. a plurality of longitudinal supports, wherein said longitudinalsupports are affixed to the interior surface of said hull parallel tothe forward direction of travel; g. a plurality of floor panels placedover said plurality of cross supports and said plurality of longitudinalsupports; and h. at least one trim tab, wherein said trim tab extendsrearwardly from said stern at the interface of said stern and said flatbottom.
 20. The universal depth boat according to claim 19 wherein saiduniversal depth boat further comprises a plurality of runners affixed tothe exterior of said hull.